Victorian Premier
Ted Baillieu
has refused to confirm when or even if a ministerial staffer under investigation by the Office of Police Integrity will return to work, as the ­government seeks to move on from last week’s controversial departure of chief commissioner
Simon ­Overland
.

Tristan Weston, an adviser to Police Minister and Deputy Premier Peter Ryan, has been on leave since Victoria Police revoked his permission to hold secondary employment aside from his job in the force.

It did so after receiving information from the OPI. Mr Weston then resigned as a police officer but remains on the public payroll.

Mr Ryan said last week he was not likely to return to his office nor to a role advising the government on police matters.

Asked if Mr Weston, who has had his phone tapped by the OPI, would indeed be returning to work in government, as suggested by Mr Ryan last week, Mr Baillieu said: “He is employed by the government and a decision as to where he works is a ­matter for the government."

Mr Baillieu refused to say whether Mr Weston would return to work before any OPI investigation into his conduct was completed.

“That’s something we will determine with Mr Weston," he said.

“I’m not going to speculate about an individual’s leave arrangements."

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Mr Baillieu also declined to comment on when Mr Weston would end his leave. “That is between Tristan Weston and the government," he said. “When he returns we will work out what he is doing."

Mr Ryan also remains unwilling to explain whether Mr Overland offered or was asked for his resignation, saying the tumultuous events of last week were now history.

“It’s an era gone by now, we are all moving on and we are all looking forward to the appointment of a new chief commissioner of police," he said.

Several senior police have already begun positioning themselves for the role, including Assistant Commissioner Gary Jamieson, who had publicly declared his interest in the job.

Mr Baillieu would not comment on the usefulness of senior police ­publicly campaigning for the job, ­saying he would not reflect on any individual.

“We have made it very clear anybody is entitled to apply for the job and we are not going to speculate on any individual candidates," he said.

The Greens have flagged the prospect of legislation to establish an independent authority to handle appointments such as that of the chief commissioner.

“The Greens can do whatever they wish to do," Mr Baillieu said.

Asked if he was concerned that Office of Police Integrity staff would be eligible to work at the new corruption watchdog, Mr Baillieu said recruiting would be a matter for the commission. “Those transitional issues are of significance and we will look at all those issues," he said.

“I’m going to reflect on OPI staff or any other staff for that matter."

Other issues included the handling of existing OPI investigations, the physical location of the commission and the interaction of law establishing the new watchdog with any existing statutes.

The opposition has formally asked barrister Jack Rush, as part of his inquiry into police command, to consider the conduct of Mr Weston as well as Mr Baillieu’s chief of staff, Michael Kapel.